Since at least as early as 500 B.C., children and professionals have played with yo-yos. Some scholars argue that the most basic yo-yo was invented in ancient Greece. Others contend the yo-yo was first invented in ancient China. Regardless of its origin, advances in technology have improved many of the features of this ageless invention. Yo-yos have varied in popularity throughout the last couple of decades, but remain a staple and popular toy for children and adults alike.
The basic yo-yo features two disk shaped substantially identical halves separated slightly in space by an axle connector known in the art as center bushing. Yo-yos have historically been made of wood, but modernly yo-yos are made of metal, plastic, or wood. Further, the very simple structure of the yo-yo has been slowly improved upon to yield the modern yo-yo.
The modern yo-yo era is widely attributed to Donald Duncan who popularized the yo-yo in America in the mid 1900s. Mr. Duncan originally had a trademark in the name “Yo-yo.” Because of the words' popularity, the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled that the name was so ubiquitous, it was part of language and the word lost its trademark status. The Duncan Toys Company remains a major player in the art and manufacture of yo-yos.
The basic yo-yo string has a loop that surrounds the rigid axle and a loop on the opposite end that is tied to the user's finger. The string is wound around the axle and the user throws the yo-yo toward the ground and following a quick jerking motion, and on a child's happiest day, the yo-yo recoils. The string of the yo-yo itself has been subject to very few recent improvements.
Regarding references that disclose a non-spinning and externally accessible axle of a yo-yo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,846, issued to Frangos (“Frangos); U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,578, issued to Mosher (“Mosher”); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,874,890, issued to Van Dan Elzen (“Elzen I”); and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0094329, filed by Van Dan Elzen (“Elzen II”) each disclose such a limitation. Frangos discloses a gyroscopic top that employs a pair of rotor sectors mounted on opposite sides of a spacer all centered on an axle. Frangos' motion is initiated by a string wrapped around the center separator being pulled quickly to instantiate rotation. Mosher, Elzen I, and Elzen II each disclose a yo-yo with an externally accessible axle attached to a non-spinning portion of the yo-yo that may be engaged by the user without stopping the spinning. In the art, an externally accessible “side cap” that permits a user to engage the side cap without disrupting the rotation of the yo-yo is known, most commonly, as a “Hubstack.” Each of these references disclose a yo-yo, or a yo-yo like device, that uses an independent axle to allow for a user to engage the yo-yo without halting its spinning. Importantly, however, each of these references fails to disclose a yo-yo with an accessory attachment system achieved by an independent axle, that allows for user engagement of the attached accessories, where the user engagement piece may be exchanged for any one of a select number of specific use pieces to perform a wide array of yo-yo stunts and tricks.
Regarding the removable yo-yo string and the slide-able bead, U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,233, issued to Hedeen; U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,932, issued to Tobias; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,739,415, issued to Roberton; each disclose a similar device. Each of these references is directed toward a top and string combination, not a yo-yo, wherein each has a string end feature that connects the spinning part of the toy to the string to aid in giving rotational force to the top before disengaging from the toy. While these devices serve a similar string-engagement function, these references fail to disclose a device that would function to permit a yo-yo to be either looped or not looped and that functions to make easier the recoil function of the yo-yo. Further, they fail to disclose a device that permits a yo-yo user to control with precision the recoil of her yo-yo.
Thus, there remains a long-felt need in the art for a yo-yo with an accessory attachment system and for a yo-yo string with a movable bead to improve control of recoil of the yo-yo.